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Shoes can often make or break an outfit, so it makes sense to pay extra attention to them. My advice is always to go with quality over quantity: buy fewer shoes, but the best you can afford.

When it comes to height, I would say that for the more corporate roles where you’ll be client-facing, only high heels will do. But keep the balance, since shoes with extremely high heels can actually call too much attention to your footwear. The emphasis should be on you and your skills, and not on your shoes.

Here are three types of shoes your work wardrobe should contain:

1.The goes-with-everything shoe

The basic black pump is a must, since they go with everything, including other neutrals like navy and brown. Thus, invest in the best pair of leather black heels you can. You can also try the nude pump. If you only buy one pair of shoes this year, buy a pair of these.

2. The shoe with personality

Find a shoe in a classic, classy shape that comes in a bold color or print. Animal skin or print, red or cobalt blue hues, or demure ribbons and bows are all perfectly acceptable accents to your footwear. Finally, be careful of showing of too much personality, if you’d wear them to a nightclub, don’t wear them to work.

3. The lady-like flatIf you can’t wear heels every day, make sure you select a pair that’s right for your workplace. A good question to ask yourself: Would Audrey Hepburn wear these? The iconic actress loved flats, but hers were lady-like, not child-like.

I’m must confess that I posses more “shoes with personality” than advisable, but I have a little Imelda Marcos inside me.

Ah, my entire shoe collection is filled with shoes with personality, so I’m lucky my job has a uniform and I have one pair of shoes for it. Admittedly it makes it difficult to dress for unexpected formal occasions.